Any property for sale should look presentable. It is not for nothing as one says that the first impression counts: the more attractive the apartment is, the more money you can get for it. What is required to be done to improve showing?

1. Clean up the porch or the adjacent outdoor area

The entrance to a multi-storey building or the outdoor area of a private house is the first thing a buyer sees. Many sellers underestimate the moment, and after all, sometimes it becomes the key point in deciding on the real estate acquisition.

In psychology, there is such a thing as serial position effect. It means, that a person better remembers what he sees at the beginning and at the end. When buying real estate, the first thing he sees is the porch, and if it is dirty, it may not lead to view the apartment. Nobody wants to see dust, dirt and ruin every day, even if the apartment itself is renovated.

In the case of an apartment, the seller needs to ensure that staircase is free of dust, debris, chewing gum sticking to the walls, cigarette- stubs, tile falling off from the walls, etc. Sometimes it’s enough to sweep and wash the staircase, and sometimes it’s worth spending a bit of funds for a small cosmetic repair. The space in front of the apartment must be clean and tidy, otherwise the buyer may insist on price reduction.

If a house with a plot is for sale, you need to clean the area from leaves, branches, garbage, get rid of accumulated trash, cut grass, to patch holes in the fence and clean up the paths. It is important that storage structures located on the plot also do not spoil the overall impression of the house. If the show is held in winter, it is necessary to clear paths, including access roads for the car.

2. Arrange and put everything in its place

You cannot show an apartment or a house when things are scattered in it. It is desirable that there is nothing superfluous on sofas, armchairs, tables, corners are empty. Buyers may want to enter the loggia, so it’s not worth making a warehouse out of it.

It is not recommended to free space from excess furniture. The apartment should look cozy and comfortable, and the empty space may negatively affect the buyer’s imagination. It becomes rather difficult to imagine their own version of furniture arrangement.

3. Glue up and repair everything

Is something broken, torn off or chipped in the apartment? All this must be fixed! The absence of shutters in the cabinets, broken handles, torn wallpaper, dripping faucets and creaking doors will not make a good impression.

If the repairs in the apartment was done long time ago, no need to do it before the sale. Though some cleaning up won’t hurt: a buyer unlikely will be impressed by the shabby wallpaper, yellowed ceilings and other «charms». It is not recommended to use bright colors — just limit to neutrals.

Minor expenses for cosmetic repairs will allow you to set a higher price for the apartment and avoid unnecessary reason for bargaining.

4. Clean from top to bottom

General cleaning should be done in the apartment at least once a year, and before sale it is a must. Windows and mirrors should shine, there should be no dust on cabinets, and plumbing and tiles should be cleaned with powder. The most inaccessible places are subject to cleaning.

5. Take care of the lighting

The apartment should have good lighting — if possible, replace all the bulbs in the house with more powerful ones. So, the rooms will look more spacious and attractive. Moreover, the light creates a good mood and a cozy atmosphere, which is especially important in the night time.

6. Eliminate all unpleasant odors

If your home was not renovated for a long time, there are sick people or someone regularly smokes in the room, the walls, ceiling and furniture are saturated with an unpleasant odor, which is difficult to remove using only ventilation. Old things can also give a smell; they must either be thrown away or thoroughly cleaned. Bad smell can scare away even the person most interested in buying your apartment.

Please, remember! Not maintained real estate is sold much longer and the buyers have a lot of arguments for bargaining.